Cooking Lesson #376: Monster Iceberg Wedge Salad

The Thanksgiving Collection

How you doin’? With so much going on to prepare the holiday dinner why not make a simple Iceberg Wedge Salad which is the perfect starter or side dish. The classic Iceberg Wedge is made of chopped crisp bacon, diced ripe tomatoes, full flavor blue cheese, diced hard boiled eggs and drizzled with homemade blue cheese dressing. This is my original, Monster Iceberg Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing.
 
First, you have to wash and cut the lettuce by taking a whole head of Iceberg lettuce and removing any wilting or brown leaves from the exterior. See complete directions below.
 
At Margaritaville in Las Vegas Chef Spencer and I created a grilled wedge salad. Yes, you really can grill it. I love the additional layer of flavor—a good, charred taste and look. To grill your lettuce cut and clean as usual. Drizzle some olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for a couple of minutes on each flat side until you get the desired char.
 
I like to make my own blue cheese dressing to taste. In a small bowl, whisk Greek yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, Worcestershire, blue cheese crumbles, white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper together for the dressing. Drizzle each lettuce wedge generously with dressing and let it run over the lettuce wedge onto the plate. In a pinch you can always use store bought dressings. The best to my taste is Bob’s Blue Cheese Dressing (found in the refrigerated or Produce section) or one of the Ranch Dressings. If you’re not into the flavor of blue cheese try Peter Luger’s Steakhouse Dressing sometime (found refrigerated in the meat department).
 
An Iceberg Wedge Salad with blue cheese dressing and bountiful toppings is the perfect starter that goes with almost any holiday dinner.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Yield:  2 servings

Ingredients
For the blue cheese dressing
1/4 cup original tart Greek yogurt plain
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground coarse black pepper
Salt to taste

for the wedge salads
1/2 head fresh, washed and chilled iceberg lettuce cut in half
1/3 cup bacon cooked and crumbled (I prefer the flavor of Benton smoked bacon)
4 hard boiled chopped eggs
8 grape tomatoes sliced in half
2 to 4 tablespoons extra blue cheese crumbles for topping
2 teaspoons freshly cut chives for garnish

Directions

1. Take a whole head of lettuce and remove any wilting or brown leaves from the exterior.
2. Hold the entire head of lettuce core side down and give it a few good bangs on the counter to loosen the core. Use your fingers to wiggle out the center core.
3. Fill the entire head of lettuce with cold water to rinse all the interior leaves. Since it grows like a cabbage or onion, all the layers will get rinsed! After it is filled with water, rinse the exterior. Dump out all the water you can and shake out any excess. Leave it facing down on a clean drain board to drain for 5-10 minutes.
4. Cut the entire head in half then cut one half in half again, making 2 individual wedges. Place each wedge, curve side down on a plate. Save the other half head of lettuce by wrapping the cut side in paper towel and storing in a gallon size zip top bag leaving the top slightly open.
5. In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients for the dressing together. Set aside.
6. On two dinner plates, place wedges of iceberg lettuce, cut side up. Drizzle generously with dressing. Top with bacon, eggs, tomatoes, extra blue cheese, chives and anything else that sounds good to you.
7. Serve on chilled plates with chilled forks.

ChefSecret: Using fresh and cold iceberg lettuce is the best way to make and keep a crispy salad! After you have washed the entire head of lettuce, save it (or any leftover portion of it) by wrapping the cut side in paper towel and storing it in a gallon size zip top bag with the top slightly open. Remove as much water as possible before storage and keep it cut side (or core side) down so it can continue to drain. It should stay fresh for up to 7 days.

Quip of the Day: “Sometimes someone unexpected comes out of the nowhere, makes your heart skip a beat and changes your life forever—we call these people cops.”
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Have a wonderful safe and healthy holiday. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

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